19 Must-Have BlackBerry Apps for Newbies

http://www.cio.com/article/665714/19_Must_Have_BlackBerry_Apps_for_Newbies


Which BlackBerry applications should every new RIM smartphone owner download immediately? CIO.com's BlackBerry expert Al Sacco lists the best choices -- and all but one of these mobile apps are free.


BlackBerry App World

Most new BlackBerry smartphones ship with RIM's official mobile application store, BlackBerry App World, preloaded, but any BlackBerry user with an older device, or one that didn't come with App World, should download this free app immediately for access to a huge collection of BlackBerry apps, games, themes and more. App World is an on-device application, but it's also available in a Web-based desktop version so you can use both your BlackBerry and a PC to peruse the latest software.


Poynt for BlackBerry
Poynt is the only mobile, local-search application for BlackBerry you'll ever need. The app uses your current location, based on GPS or cell-tower location, to find the closest nearby businesses, retailers, restaurants, gas prices, events and much more. Poynt offers a dedicated weather section, too. You can find local movie theatre listings and purchase tickets via BlackBerry. And the app integrates with your BlackBerry calendar and address book so you can quickly add contacts or events.

15 Best iPhone Apps for Newbies

http://www.cio.com/article/654464/15_Best_iPhone_Apps_for_Newbies

For years, many have longed to own an iPhone, only to be turned off by AT&T's dodgy network. The wait is over: A Verizon iPhone 4 will hit the market Feb. 10. So what will you download first? Here are 15 can't-miss iPhone apps.

LED-Flashlight
Take it from experienced iPhone owners, don't underestimate the power of a handy flashlight. Many flashlight apps quickly illuminate the iPhone's screen, but the LED Flashlight (free) also taps the iPhone 4's built-in flash for a tighter light beam.


Facebook
For many iPhone owners, the most heavily used app is Facebook (free). The iPhone and Facebook app make it super easy to check status updates throughout the day. If you're a Facebook user, this app will likely take a coveted spot on the first home screen (if not the lock screen).


AIM
AIM ($2.99) keeps you in touch with your friends, letting you know when they're available and managing conversations easily and clearly. You can also post your status on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and Lifestream over the app.

Siri
Imagine telling a personal assistant to remind you to call your mom, book a taxi, find out what's playing at a movie theatre. That virtual assistant is an iPhone search app called Siri Assistant (free). The app is so good that Apple spent millions to acquire Siri last year.

AroundMe
Find out what's around you, such as stores, gas stations, bars and other places of interest with AroundMe (free). See places on a map dotted with flags, or use the augmented reality feature that shows places and distances via the iPhone camera.

CNN
The iPhone is a "lean forward" mobile device where you get the latest news, videos, photos and alerts. No major media app has captured this experience better than CNN for iPhone (free).


Instapaper
As you run across articles, blogs and news, save those Web pages for offline reading on the iPhone with Instapaper ($4.99). This app turns Web pages into a great reading experience.

Kindle
Reading a book on the iPhone isn't as bad as it sounds, especially if you have a good reader app like Kindle (free). You may have heard of the big bookstore for Kindle, too, called Amazon.

Evernote
Take text, audio and photo notes with Evernote (free). Notes are dated and searchable and tagged with geolocation information for mapping. Now when inspiration strikes, you can just whip out your iPhone and capture the moment via Evernote.

Banking App
Did you pay the electricity bill? Need to transfer funds to pick up the dinner tab? Where's the nearest ATM? Download a bank's official iPhone app from the App Store, and you'll feel a lot safer with mobile banking. iPhones and banks go together like deposits and withdrawals.

RedLaser
Before you buy anything, make sure you scan the barcode with RedLaser (free). The app uses the iPhone camera to capture a barcode image, then identifies the product and provides competitive pricing among various retailers.

Groupon
If you're a penny pincher (who isn't these days?), then get Groupon. Yes, it's a free app. Groupon serves up a daily deal on a product or service near you. Of course, you'll have to be in one of 130 applicable cities in the United States.


Shazam
One of the first "wow" apps on the iPhone, Shazam (free) listens to music and identifies the artist and song. In the past, Shazam provided unlimited song tagging; today, the limit is five per month or unlimited with Shazam Encore ($4.99).

Netflix
If you're a Netflix fan, this Netflix iPhone app (free) is a no-brainer. Watch TV shows and movies streaming from Netflix on your iPhone. While not quite the big screen, the iPhone still delivers a pretty good viewing experience.

Angry Birds
Yes, this is a must-have game app. Those dastardly pigs have stolen the angry birds' eggs. Oh, the horror! You'll come to know soon enough why you must be part of this epic war. Snickering pigs will haunt your dreams.

Microsoft's Courier 'digital journal

http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/05/microsofts-courier-digital-journal-exclusive-pictures-and-de/

15 Tablets That Could Rival Apple's iPad

http://www.cio.com/article/589760/Slate_Wars_15_Tablets_That_Could_Rival_Apple_s_iPad?page=5#slideshow

The iPad has captured many hearts and minds, but a fleet of rival tablets led by a separatist Android army is about to attack, armed with HD Flash video, multitouch screens, front-facing cameras, multitasking...even Windows 7. Let's take a look.


HP Slate
It wasn't the Courier tablet that many attendees hoped Steve Ballmer would pull out of his hat at CES in January, but HP's slate PC (don't call it a tablet!) is shaping up as a strong alternative to the iPad.

Fusion Garage JooJoo
The notorious CrunchPad-turned-JooJoo tablet has just started shipping, and—as you can see—the interface has come a long way from where it was when we tested a preproduction model back in December 2009.


Dell Mini 5 (Streak)
Dell is working on a "family of tablets," the first will be its Android tablet--called Mini 5 or Streak. This unit's 5-inch multitouch display is more pocket-friendly than the ones on most upcoming tablets, but it's also larger than the displays on most smartphones (yes, the Mini 5 can make calls).

Lenovo IdeaPad U1
As a laptop, the IdeaPad U1 runs Windows 7 with a 1.3GHz Core 2 Duo SU4100 chip; but pop the screen off, and the machine instantly becomes a multitouch tablet running its own widget-style Linux interface.

Microsoft (MSFT) Courier
One tablet that might match Apple in user interface innovation is the mysteriousMicrosoft Courier, a folding dual-screen device that's more of a pen and touch-controlled digital journal/eReader than a media tablet along the lines of the iPad.

 

Notion Ink Adam

Everything about this tablet screams innovation. Designed in India, the Adam uses a special multitouch-enabled 10.

Netbook Tablets
If you like the idea of flicking through Web pages or e-books by touch, but you don't want to give up your physical keyboard, a netbook equipped with a swiveling screen could be a good compromise choice.

ExoPC Slate
A Windows 7 device with a custom touch interface, an 8.9-inch multitouch screen, netbook-like specs, and Flash support--okay, you have our attention.


Archos 9 PCtablet
On paper, the Archos 9 looks impressive. Specs include a 60GB hard disk, Windows 7, a front-facing Webcam, Flash support, and a price of $549.

ICD Ultra
Innovative Converged Devices' 7-inch Ultra tablet is yet another upcoming pairing ofTegra 2 and Android, but ICD's offering will emphasize affordability. Its features will include 4GB of internal flash memory, HD video playback, and optional 3G.

Axiotron Modbook Pro
Ask Andreas Haas, the former head of Apple's Newton group, what he thinks of the iPad, and he'll tell you that "it's not a tablet; it's an extension of the iPod Touch." His company, Axiotron, is developing theModbook Pro—a touch-enabled version of the pen-based, professionally finished Mac tablets that the business creates by converting MacBook laptops.  

MSI Tegra 2 Tablet
MSI is best known for netbooks these days, so it's no surprise that the company plans to produce an as-yet-unnamed tablet. The prototype Android "mPad" shown at CES had a 10-inch touchscreen, a Tegra 2 processor, HD Flash support, and an HDMI output. The finished tablet will probably cost around $500 and may arrive later this year.

r
Asus Eee Pad
This Tegra 2 tablet snapped at nVidia's CES booth isn't the sexiest prototype we've ever seen, but Asus has promised to launch a "killer product" in June.

Camangi WebStation
Why would a tablet released relatively recently suddenly become 32 percent cheaper? Bad reviews: Complaints of slow performance, video playback issues, and sluggish single-touch response seem to have tarnished early hopes for the WebStation, a 7-inch Android 1.5 device designed primarily to run Web apps.

Freescale Smartbook Tablet Reference Design
Freescale makes the chips that most e-book readers (including the Kindle) use, its upcoming i.MX508 processor could revolutionize eReaders. The company also envisions low-cost $200 tablet PCs, and has created this reference design for PC makers. The outline uses Freescale's ARM-based i.MX51 chip, and includes a 7-inch tablet that can be docked with a keyboard base similar to Lenovo's IdeaPad U1.

Apple iPad
What more is there to say? The iPad is apleasure to use (despite some missing features and other faults), it hit stores on April 3, and Apple's iBooks pricing may match Amazon's.

Hot Stuff: Summer Gadget Guide 2011

From an extra-rugged smartphone to the perfect grilling fork, these 10 high-tech toys are ideal for summer.

http://www.cio.com/article/685745/Hot_Stuff_Summer_Gadget_Guide_2011?page=9#slideshow

Casio G'zOne Commando
For summer excursions that involve lots of water and mud, an AAPL)" target="_blank">iPhone -- or any typicalsmartphone -- is just not going to survive. TheCasio G'zOne Commando ($199 with two-year Verizon (VZ) contract) is a rugged Android-powered smartphone that meets the U.S. Department of Defense MIL-STD 810G spec for short drops (about 5 feet), water immersions, contact with mud, exposure to scorching sun and other environmental hazards.

SensoGlove
A remarkably innovative golf aid, the $89SensoGlove is aimed at training you to hold the club with a light grip. (Golf experts say a tight grip is the primary cause of an erratic swing on the course.) Sensors in the fingers measure your grip, and an LCD screen alerts you (both visually and audibly) about your grip pressure. You can configure the sensors to warn you when you exceed a threshold, such as a tightness level over 10.


Nike (NKE)+ SportWatch GPS
The trendy-looking Nike+ SportWatch GPS($199), which flaunts neon colors that match well with Nike clothes and shoes, connects to a small wireless receiver (included) that you place in the undersole of your Nike shoes.

Parrot AR.Drone
The Parrot AR.Drone ($300) is a flying "quadcopter" you control with your smartphone. When it was first released last summer, it worked only with the iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch, but now Android, Symbian and Bada users can play as well. The drone can go up to 160 feet high.

G-Form iPad Extreme Sleeve

Brookstone Always Perfect Chef's Fork with Digital Meat Thermometer
Some folks claim that barbecuing is an art, but geeks can tell you it's all about science. Expert grillers know that every kind of meat (chicken, pork chops, steaks, hamburgers and so on) has to be cooked to a specific temperature before it's perfectly done.

Éton American Red Cross Axis Self-Powered Safety Hub
PÉton's American Red Cross Axis emergency radio ($70) is quite the multifunction gadget, handy whether you're camping in the wilderness or at home when a thunderstorm or other disaster that cuts off your electricity. The device uses an NiMH battery that recharges when you turn the hand crank. One minute of cranking provides 15 minutes of power.
entax Optio WG-1


Available in black or bright purple models, thePentax Optio WG-1 ($350) is a rugged outdoor camera that can withstand 5-foot drops, 220 pounds of weight and underwater submersion to 33 feet. I found that the 14-megapixel camera, which measures 4.5 by 2.3 by 1.1 in. and weighs 5 oz., took surprisingly clear pictures for a pocket camera.


iRobot (IRBT) Scooba 230
Summer means lots of time spent outdoors -- and that means a nearly constant stream of dirt, mud, sand and more dirt tracked inside. The Scooba floor-washing robot is perfect for the inevitable cleanup chores on hard floor surfaces

DIY IPAD3

http://blogs.cio.com/careers/16404/simple-strategy-acing-job-interview

DIY IPAD3

http://news.yahoo.com/chinese-man-makes-ipad-look-scratch-091234153.html
In a 20-minute video posted on Youku -- the Chinese YouTube equivalent -- Liu Xinying demonstrates how to assemble an iPad look-a-like using computer parts, a touch screen and a case with a keypad, to the sound of metal music.


http://www.youku.com
http://www.weibo.com

6 Cool iPhone Apps for Sales

http://www.bnet.com/blog/salesmachine/6-cool-iphone-apps-for-sales-pros/16551?pg=2

Sales App #6: GetPaid!

• What it does: Produce professional invoices and time sheets in PDF format, so that you can more easily bill your customer, submit your time sheet, and move on to the next job. It also tracks time, inventory and the payments that come in.

Sales App #5: Roambi-Visualizer

• What it does: Accesses CSV files (produced by Salesforce.com, SAP , etc.) and creates mobile dashboards of various kinds of available information that you can use for analysis and presentations. (Note: the app is free, but the client for the web service that has a “freemium” model.)

App #4: Worldcard Mobile

• What it does: You snap a picture of a business card and the applications converts it into a contact in your contact manager, usually with everything filed in the right field, including the photograph (if there’s one on the card.)

App #3: vTie Premium

• What it does: Provides step-by-step instructions for different necktie knots, including Windsor, Pratt, Onassis, Oriental, Bow Tie, etc. It also contains instructions for folding a pocket square.
• App #2: Bump
• What it does: Makes sharing contact data (and other types of data) as simple as bumping two phones together. Just pick what you want to send, then hold your phones and gently bump hands with another Bump user.
• App #1: Lead Qualifier
• What it does: Helps you create, while the information is still fresh in your mind, a qualification summary that records critical information about the lead. Then you can email it or automatically log it as an activity on Salesforce.com.
• 
  

Tablets, Real and Rumored

http://www.cio.com/article/594842/Tablets_Real_and_Rumored
The iPad is popular, but it's got lots of company
With more than a million units sold in less than a month, it's pretty clear that Apple's iPad touchscreen tablet has been a success so far. But Apple isn't the only company out there to develop a tablet, as there are several iPad alternatives on the market or in the works right now that could give the iPad a run for its money.

The iPad
We might as well start off with the iPad since it's the most popular tablet and it's the standard to which other tablets will be held. The iPad's specs are indeed impressive, as it includes a 1GHz Apple A4 processor, a 9.7-inch screen with a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels and connectivity with both Wi-Fi and GSM-based 3G networks. Combine this with the wide variety of applications available in the iTunes App Store, and you've got a tablet that presents a strong standard for the competition.

Operating system: iPhone OS

The Archos 7 Home Tablet

As an Android based tablet whose price starts at a mere $199, the Archos 7 Home Tablet has significantly less impressive specs than the iPad. The tablet features a 7-inch screen with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels and has flash memory of 2GB to 8GB. Obviously not as strong as the iPad, the Archos 7 does provide a low-budget alternative.
Operating system: Android


Price: Starts at $199.

The Dell (DELL) Mini Streak
The Mini Streak is a much smaller touchscreen tablet than the iPhone, checking in at only 5 inches with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels. At the same time, the Streak will have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 1GHz processor that will give it equal processing power to the iPad. The device is expected to make its debut on AT&T this summer and it will support both Wi-Fi and 3G GSM connectivity.
Operating system: Android
Price: Unknown


Lenovo IdeaPad U1
What makes the IdeaPad U1 so interesting is that it's really a hybrid tablet that can be plugged into a keyboard terminal and used as a more traditional PC. The device runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor as a tablet and on an Intel (INTC) Core 2 Duo SU4100 processor when attached to its terminal. Like other tablets, it has both Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity. The IdeaPad U1 is due out this summer.
Operating system: Windows
Price: Suggested at $999.

HP Hurricane
This tablet will be closely watched when it's finally released as it will be the first tablet on the market to feature Palm's webOS operating system. This device will be the first test of HP's acquisition of Palm and will go a long way in telling us whether webOS has a strong future ahead of it.
Operating system: webOS
Price: Unknown


The Verizon-Google (GOOG) (VZ) tablet
Unlike the other tablets mentioned here, we have no real details on this device other than it's a joint project between Google and Verizon and it will feature Android as its operating system. Although there's no firm timetable for when the tablet will be released, Verizon Wireless CEO Lowell McAdamhinted in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that it would be released next year and could feature 4G connectivity with Verizon's LTE network.
Operating system: Android


Price: Unknown

9 Real iPad Alternatives

http://www.cio.com/article/602053/9_Real_iPad_Alternatives_
A look at some products that have features missing in the iPad and are slated to ship this year.


Even since Apple released its "magical and revolutionary" iPad, other vendors have been scrambling to deliver products that go Apple one better. Here are nine that are expected to hit the stores this year. They feature multi-touch screens that are larger than the iPad's 9.7-inch screen. And while they might not have Apple's buzz, they do offer capabilities not available in the current version of the iPad.

Product Name: 2goPC Slate

Screen Size and Resolution: 10", 1024x600
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium
Communication: 3G and Wi-Fi
Ship date: Summer 2010
The 2goPC Slate is a typical netbook running on an Intel Atom processor, minus the keyboard which has been replaced with a multitouch screen. The Windows 7 OS provides multi-tasking, which the iPad doesn't have. Like most netbooks, and un-like the iPad, it comes with a built-in Webcam. And what's most impressive is a price of $499.

Product Name: Adam
Screen Size and Resolution: 10.1", 1024x600
Operating System: Android
Communication: 3G and Wi-Fi
Ship date: Q3 2010
The Adam will use NVIDIA's (NVDA) Tegra 2 (a graphics processor specifically designed for tablets and other mobile devices). Notion Ink will offer this tablet with a "dual mode" LCD; this means you'll be able to switch between a normal color screen to a black-and-white one, with the backlight turned off, which is meant to simulate the "e-ink" screen of e-book readers like the Amazon Kindle. Also setting the Adam apart will be its built-in camera, which can swivel to point at the tablet's user or away, thus, letting you shoot pictures.

Product: ExoPC Slate
Screen Size and Resolution: 11.6", 1366x768
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Edition
Communication:v Wi-Fi
Ship date: September 2010
Like the 2goPC Slate, closer scrutiny of its technical specs suggests this tablet will basically be a larger-screen netbook with a touchscreen in lieu of a keyboard. The ExoPC's upcoming release will lack 3G, but it will still have a bigger screen and higher resolution than the iPad, and it will use Windows 7.

Product: Gemini
Screen Size and Resolution: 11.6", 1366x768
Operating System: Android
Communication: 3G and Wi-Fi
Ship date: August 2010

Product: JooJoo
Screen Size and Resolution: 12.1"; 1366x768
Operating System: Based on Linux
Communication: 3G and Wi-Fi
Shipping now


Product: M1Touch
Screen Size and Resolution: 10.1"; 1024x600
Operating System: Windows 7 Starter Edition or Home Premium
Communication: 3G (optional) or Wi-Fi
Ship date: Summer 2010

Product: WindPad 100 and 110
Screen Size and Resolution: 10"; 1024x600
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium (WindPad 100); Android (WindPad 110)
Communication: 3G and Wi-Fi
Ship date: End of 2010

Product: Touchpad BC10
Screen Size and Resolution: 10.1"; 1024x600
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium
Communication: Wi-Fi
Ship date: Summer 2010



Product: WeTab
Screen Size and Resolution: 11.6", 1366x768
Operating System: Based on Linux
Communication: 3G and Wi-Fi
Ship date: August 2010

7 Crazy iPad Accessories

http://www.cio.com/article/638613/7_Crazy_iPad_Accessories
How many of these add-ons do you have for Apple's tablet, and what does that say about you?

Signs you love your iPad too much

How much do you love your iPad? Perhaps too much, if the accessories shown here cause your eyes to light up and your credit card to whip out. The good news: Outside a bunch of fake accessories like the iCade and iDrift lurking on Web humor pages, there are not as many crazy iPad accessories as you might expect, so there's still opportunity for any mad-scientist readers out there to fill the gap!

But as the next slides show, in rough order from least to most crazy, there are still some nutty things you get for an iPad.


Apple (AAPL) iPad Dock Connector to VGA Adapter and Apple Component AV Cable
It doesn't sound crazy to want to display video or presentations -- or simply the screen so that you can use a wireless keyboard and a monitor with your iPad as you would with a laptop. What's crazy is that Apple has blocked most apps from sending out video. It makes sense for some content, given that Steve Jobs is also the largest shareholder of Disney (DIS) stock: The iPad won't play movies and TV shows downloaded from iTunes because it's licensed only for device-screen display. But the fact that Apple's Keynote can show slideshows but competing apps like Quickoffice and Documents to Go can't -- that's crazy control freakishness. Until any app except those showing rights-managed content are allowed to output their screens via these two video connectors ($29 and $49, respectively), save your money.


Foldable Solar Charger

Custom iPad suit

Elite Home Theater Seating iPad Chair

Hollandia i-Con bed

Volkswagen 2010 Polo

Wannabe iPad killers

15 Best iPad Apps for Newbies

http://www.cio.com/article/668364/15_Best_iPad_Apps_for_Newbies
Are you considering the upcoming iPad 2 as your first iPad? An iPad, unplugged, is a welcome contrast to the communications-driven iPhone. Take our tour of cool apps that take advantage of the iPad's leisurely user experience.


Flipboard
Magazines play well on the iPad because of the casual reading experience. Flipboard (free) is an app for creating a customized magazine that pulls content and pictures from Twitter, Facebook, RSS feeds, Flickr, favorite blogs and Web sites. Best of all, Flipboard lets you flip through the neatly organized, wonderfully laid-out pages.

Instapaper
Instapaper ($4.99) lets you save articles, blogs and news for offline reading. The app turns Web pages into a great reading experience. It is one of our 15 best iPhone apps for newbies. But few people can stand to read feature stories on a browser or iPhone. The iPad and Instapaper are bringing back long-form reading on the Web.

Marvel Comics
Comics are fast-becoming an exciting form of literature, but they don't render well on black-and-white tablets. Thankfully, the iPad is bursting with color and can showcase comics in all their glory. Now you can catch all your favorite superheroes in action on your iPad with Marvel Comics (free).

Dropbox + QuickOffice
The iPad isn't all fun and games, sometimes there's real work to be done. That's when you'll need two apps: cloud storage app Dropbox (free up to 2GB) and Quickoffice. Quickoffice Connect Mobile Suite for iPad ($14.99) lets you access and work on Dropbox-stored Excel spreadsheets, Word documents and, recently, PowerPoint slides.

Adobe (ADBE) Photoshop Express
Photoshop pros probably won't get too excited about this iPad app from Adobe, but photo hobbyists will have fun with Adobe Photoshop Express (free). Thanks to the iPad's larger screen, you'll be able to easily crop and rotate photos, create effects and borders, manipulate color, apply filters, etc.

Bento for iPad
The 10-inch iPad screen is roughly the size of a bento box, a neatly packed Japanese meal. This makes Bento for iPad ($4.99) a perfect fit. Optimized for the iPad, Bento is a personal organizer that helps you manage everything from contacts, events and to-do items to special activities such as exercise regimens and diet plans.


ArtRage
Art on the iPhone made headlines nearly two years ago when Jorge Colombo drew a painting that made The New Yorker cover. Really, though, doesn't the larger iPad screen make a better canvas? ArtRage ($6.99) is a painting simulation app that keeps track of the amount of paint on the canvas, watercolors reacting to the wetness of the brush, blending colors, and much more.

Amazon Kindle
In only a few months since its debut last year, the iPad quickly became the second most popular e-reader behind the Amazon Kindle. If reading is your passion, getting the Kindle iPad app (free) is a no-brainer. Sure, Apple (AAPL) has its own iBook Store app, but the Amazon book selection is unbeatable

Epicurious
I probably spend more time grocery shopping, cooking and eating than any other personal activity. Epicurious (free) serves up more than 30,000 recipes from magazines, chefs and cookbooks. Best part of the iPad app version: The big screen makes it easy to follow recipes step-by-step in the kitchen.
Bonus advice: Get a stand that keeps youriPad free and clear from messy ingredients.

Netflix
Sure, there's a time and place for watching HD movies on a big screen. More often than not, though, you'll catch a flick while on the go or quietly in bed. At times like these, you'll want Netflix (free) on the iPad. The iPad's screen is big enough to catch R2-D2's cameo in J.J. Abrams' 2009 Star Trek blockbuster movie.


The Daily
The Daily ($39.99 per year) recently debuted on the iPad under Apple's new subscription model. For a dime and a penny a day, you get more than 100 pages of original news, entertainment, lifestyle, opinions, breaking news updates, customized sports pages, videos, interactive graphics, and great photography.


Star Walk
With Star Walk ($4.99), the iPad becomes a map to the stars. Just point your iPad at the sky, and you'll learn the identities of the stars, constellations and satellites. Of course, if you live in Los Angeles, all you'll really see is smog covering up the stars (and we're not talking movie stars, either).

Penultimate
Most of us got through college by scratching notes on a pad of paper. Penultimate ($1.99) brings that chaotic yet critical learning experience to the iPad. Using inking technology, Penultimate lets you take notes on realistic paper. After all, it's how some of the world's greatest ideas got started.

Pages, Keynote, Numbers
Apple's productivity apps were made for the iPad (or maybe it's the other way around?). They consist of Pages ($9.99) for word processing, Keynote ($9.99) for presentations and Numbers ($9.99) for spreadsheets. I think they beat the pants off of Microsoft (MSFT) Office. The only problem is that everyone else uses Office.

RISK: The Official Game for iPad
The iPad has become a supremely popular gaming platform. The big screen of the iPad is also bringing back another kind of gaming: the board game. A group of people can now gather around the iPad socially (unlike an iPhone or vertical computer screen). One of my favorite games is Risk ($.99). Besides, aren't you tired of hearing about Angry Birds?

The Google Android Quiz

Google Android is making headway against Apple iPhones and RIM BlackBerries, but how well do you know the open source mobile OS?
http://www.cio.com/article/631730/The_Google_Android_Quiz?page=2#slideshow

Android OS, with its openness, readily developed applications and flexibility has anchored a new wave of mobile devices that are rapidly gaining popularity. Here's a quiz about the operating system, its devices and history to see how well you really know it. Keep score and rank yourself at the end.

The 22 Best Android Apps

http://www.cio.com/article/618013/The_22_Best_Android_Apps_

Thinking Space"mind-mapping" app

Manage your files: Astro File Manager

Handle tasks wisely: The GTasks task 

Manage archives: The powerful AndroZip

Text with panache: Forget the stock SMS utility. Handcent SMS brings customizable texting tools--with iPhone-style speech bubbles--to Android. Free

Entertain a child: With Toddler Lock you can turn your phone into a toy that can keep your little one rapt for hours.

Use gestures to find files: Gesture Search

Find the best Wi-Fi: Want to find the least-crowded Wi-Fi channel? Wifi Analyzer shows a graphical representation of Wi-Fi SSIDs' signal strength, plus which channels are being used. Free

Customize alerts: In Missed Call you can customize your phone's LED light, ringtones, vibrations, and alerts for missed calls, incoming calls, SMS, Bluetooth, and calendar events. Free

Find a lost Android: If you lose your phone,AntiDroidTheft turns on remote GPS tracking so that you can determine its location. You can also trigger the phone's camera to shoot an image that might help you locate the handset. Free

Shine a light: Color Flashlight turns a phone into a bright light with a wide array of hues and strobe patterns. Free

View Flash video now: Thanks to theSkyfire browser, you can play streaming Flash video. 'Nuff said. Free

Browse better: The Dolphin Browser HDWeb browser has tabs, gesture-based navigation, and plug-ins. It's a far more functional browser than the one that came preloaded on your phone. Free

Share Web pages: Bookmarklet plugs into the Android Web browser (or Dolphin HD) and lets you share Web pages with AIM, Bit.ly, Delicious, Digg, Facebook, Twitter, and other services. Free



Make recipes mobile: Through Digital Recipe Sidekick you can browse and import recipes from AllRecipes.com, save recipes to SD Card, e-mail them, edit them, or enter your own. The app will even read recipes to you. Free


Scan bar codes: Barcode Scanner handles bar codes--including 2D QR codes--and lets you look up the associated product or URL for instant price checks and comparison shopping. Free

Convert and calculate: The in-betaConvertMe app is a handy unit converter, currency converter, and tip calculator. It comes with more than 1500 units across more than 65 categories, and it supports 14 languages. Free

Take a measurement: The Smart Measureapp, which uses your phone's camera, measures the height of objects and estimates the distance between your phone and the object. Free

Level it: With Spirit Level Plus, you can use your phone to make sure that pictures hang straight. The app also shows the angle of incline. Free

Track podcasts: With BeyondPod, which integrates with the Android music player, you can discover and manage audio and video podcasts. The premium version adds better controls for updating and managing subscriptions. Free basic version, $7 premium version

Discover cool podcasts: The Listen app helps you search for thousands of audio feeds, stream them, or subscribe to them. It integrates with Google Reader on the desktop, as well. Free



Work smart with photos: Using Picasa Tool Pro you can batch-upload photos, as well as browse and manage your albums, photos, and comments. Free

Android OS in 2011: 12 Developments to Keep Apple Nervous

http://www.cio.com/article/654913/Android_OS_in_2011_12_Developments_to_Keep_Apple_Nervous?page=2#slideshow

LG Optimus 2X
LG boasts that its Optimus 2X Android smartphone will be the first to feature a 1GHz dual-core processor from Nvidia (NVDA), called Tegra 2. Arriving in the first quarter of 2011, the Optimus 2X has a 4-inch screen and dual cameras (8 megapixels in the back, 1.3 megapixels in the front); the device can record full HD (1080p) video, which you can then play via the HDMI port. LG hasn't yet provided any word on pricing or U.S. availability.

Acer 4.8-Inch Phone
In February, Acer will push the limits of smartphone screen size with an as yet unnamed phone with a 4.8-inch screen. Acer claims that this phone, which is larger than a normal smartphone but smaller than a tablet, will bring the best of both worlds. The phone's pricing remains a mystery, but when Acer says that the device will have a 1GHz processor, HDMI output, an 8MP camera, and Bluetooth 3.0.

PlayStation Phone


If it emerges, Sony's rumored PlayStation phone will be a hybrid between a portable gaming console and a smartphone. Renderings of the device show it as not the best-looking Android phone. The slide-out PSP controls would be used for games downloaded from a special store exclusive to the phone, all juiced by a 1GHz processor and 1GB of RAM. The PlayStation phone's availability, pricing, and very existence are unconfirmed.

3D Android Without the Glasses


Following its march into movies and TV sets, 3D is heading for an Android phone near you.Sharp's Galapagos 003SH is incorporates an autostereoscopic 3D display that the company developed itself; with this technology, you won't need 3D glasses to view 3D content. So far the Galapagos 003SH is Japan-bound only, but some models might make their way to U.S. shores as well.

Netflix Streaming


Netflix blames a lack of DRM support on Android for its delayed appearance on the platform. But 2011 will finally bring Netflix streaming to some Android smartphones, as handset manufacturers, carriers, and other service providers develop a standard DRM protection on Google's Android OS. Netflix did not give an exact time frame for Android streaming, however.

VLC for Android


Early 2011 will also see the introduction of the popular VLC media player to the Android platform, enabling you to play most popular video formats on the fly, without any extra video conversion. The developers of the app warned, though, that some specific devices might be unable to run the app because of hardware differences.

Android for Tablets

Android 2.4, also known as Honeycomb, is the upcoming, tablet-oriented version of Google's OS, and Motorola is teasing that it will be the first hardware manufacturer to run the OS on its tablet (pictured). The Motorola device is slated to have an Nvidia dual-core 3D processor, and software buttons will replace all physical buttons. Other rumored specs for the Motorola's tablet include a 5-megapixel camera and Verizon network connectivity. Have a look at some additionalAndroid tablets coming in 2011.

Video Chat and Front-Facing Cameras

Countering Apple's introduction of FaceTime video calling, Google has designed Android 2.3 to make video calling on Android phones a mainstream function. A few Android phones already support video calling, but Android 2.3 has the feature built-in. Coupled with an increasing number of phones that carry front-facing cameras, Android stands a chance of bringing video calling into fashion.

The iPod of the Android Platform

Samsung is working to put Android on a newiPod Touch-like device, dubbed the Samsung Galaxy Player. The device would have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity, a storage capacity of up to 32GB, dual cameras, and access to Android Market apps. The company hasn't released details on price and availability.

Race to the Bottom


The Tegra 2 chip from Nvidia will make Android phones faster, but this competingchip from Broadcom (the BCM2157) promises to make 3G Android mobile handsets more affordable--dropping retail prices for some phones as low as $100 (half the price of current top-range Android phones). The maximum specs from this chipset are a 5-megapixel camera with a 500MHz processor, which are average specs for Android smartphones already.

What it Takes to Build the Ideal Android Smartbook

The 10 essential components for a smartbook
Laptops are too complex and bulky. Netbooks are too dumbed-down. What the world needs is a smartbook, which combines the best attributes of a laptop, netbook, and smartphone. Here are the 10 key attributes an Android smartbook should have.

http://www.cio.com/article/510645/What_it_Takes_to_Build_the_Ideal_Android_Smartbook

1. Multitouch screen
As users of Acer's Aspire Android netbook have reported, a multitouch trackpad is not an adequate substitute. You need a touchscreen that supports gestures, as the iPhone has amply demonstrated. A gesture-capable trackpad is fine as an addition for that touchscreen, but not as a replacement.

2. Android buttons

Android smartphones use four dedicated hardware buttons — Home, Menu, Back, and Search — as integral components of the user interface. They may look a bit different from one device to another (as you can see in the Motorola Droid and HTC Droid Eris here), but they perform the same actions. An Android smartbook needs to have them too.

3. Full-sized keyboard

Some netbooks take little to inappropriate lengths, as it were, with keyboards that are just slightly smaller than full size: generally about 90 percent as large. Small keyboards are workable when you can operate them with two thumbs, such as on a BlackBerry Bold, but on a laptop-style device, the 10 percent size difference is not worth the pain it induces in users. Any ideal smartbook will have a full-sized keyboard — just as ideal netbooks such as the Samsung N120 already do.

4. Solid-state drive
SSDs can double battery life, as well as spiff performance by a factor of two or three. And that all-important startup time will always be much shorter when booting from a solid-state device. As their prices come down, SSDs simply make sense as the de facto smartbook drive.

7 Android Devices That Aren't Phones

http://www.cio.com/article/559413/7_Android_Devices_That_Aren_t_Phones?page=3#slideshow
High-def TV, phone optional: Archos 5 32 GB Internet Tablet with Android


What it is: A multimedia player that also plays high-def TV, surfs the Internet, includes GPS and can support many other Android applications.

Why it's interesting: On its own, the device requires Wi-Fi to connect to the Internet, but it can also link to a Bluetooth equipped 3.5G phone.

List price: $369.95

Listen to music and work on spreadsheets: SmartDevices SmartQ V5 MID 1080P Player


What it is: A multimedia player that supports Wi-Fi, BlueTooth and can also connect to cellular service providers with an optional card.

Why it's interesting: Not only can you play YouTube and listen to music, but the device also lets you read and edit documents in Microsoft (MSFT) Word/Excel, OpenOffice, RTF, HTML or TXT formats.

Price: Sells for about $150

Don't have to choose between XP and Android: Aspire One D250 Model 1613
What it is: A version of Acer's popular Aspire Netbook that runs Android on an Intel Atom processor with a 10-inch display. Weighs in at less than 3 pounds.

Why it's interesting: This netbook dual-boots into Android or Windows XP.

Pricing: Less than $350 on Amazon.

Building the Ultimate Smartphone

http://www.cio.com/article/504614/Building_the_Ultimate_Smartphone

Processor: Samsung S5PC100. This is a top-of-the-line processor that is used in the iPhone 3GS and that runs at 600MHz. Aaron Vronko, the cofounder of RapidRepair.com, has said that this processor is particularly powerful because it combines a central processing unit, a graphics processing and a memory controller onto one chip, thus creating a more efficient processing system.

Honorable mention goes to the Texas Instruments OMAP 3430 processor, which has many of the same features as the S5PC100 and which is used in the Palm Pre

Operating system: Three-way tie! IPhone OS, Google Android and Palm webOS. Operating systems all have so many different features that it's difficult to settle on just one as "the best." In terms of ease of use andcustomer satisfaction, the iPhone's OS comes out on top. However, that doesn't mean that the OS X couldn't incorporate features from other operating systems to make it even better. For example, OS X could adopt a more open architecture such as Android's Linux-based system to make it easier for developers to create applications. Or it could incorporate the Palm webOS's ability to layer applications, thus letting users keep several applications open at once and flip seamlessly between them.


Keyboard and screen: The BlackBerry Curve 8900 series and the iPhone 3GS, respectively. This is where creating a fantasy phone starts to butt heads with physical engineering. After all, if you want a big screen, it makes it more difficult to produce a large full QWERTY keyboard to the phone and vice-versa. But if we could have both a large screen and keyboard on a device, we'd combine the iPhone's 3.5-inch screen with the BlackBerry Curve 8900's superb keypad. Of course, an actual phone that had both of these features would probably be too heavy and too large for many people to carry around, but that's why this is a fantasy exercise.

A Mountain or a Fish?

I'm confused. Is she a mountain or a fish?

Source: This would be a line from a wonderfully written conversation between Alan and Charlie on Two and a Half Men. Unfortunately, this blog is too family-oriented to contain the remainder of it.

Special Blog Bonus: Moving right along, I have two exciting links to make up for today's lack of information...

First, somebody created a LEGO Minas Tirith. You have to see it. Quite impressive.



And secondly, with a hat tip to my favorite Bosnian, here is a gizmo that you didn't know existed... and now you can't live without.


It's a battery charger that allows you to set your charging rate, in order to be more gentle on batteries. It tests batteries and tells you what their capacity is. Most importantly for me, though, it refreshes old rechargeable batteries. Ever use a rechargeable battery long enough to cut its performance down to about 15 minutes? This will refresh the battery, giving you a much greater performance out of those old batteries. It's green, it's a gizmo, and you MUST HAVE IT! (Well, I must have it. I don't know about you.)